Day Staff Writer

Students presented a check to the family during Wednesday's Winter Carnival at the school. Zachary, 10, is a fifth-grader at Deans Mill School in Mystic.

The fund-raising project was initiated by the Kids Care Club at West Broad, which is aimed at community projects and is organized by parent Deidre Toole. Students in the club decorated tin cans and distributed them to all students in the school to take home for donations.

Zachary's kidneys are failing because of a genetic disorder and he may soon have to undergo dialysis treatments. He has had several operations for other medical problems and is taking 11 medications a day.